Robby Andrews Breaks Alan Webbs’s 1000m HS Record

NEW YORK – It’s in the quiet moments that the truth emerges. It’s after the people had patted his back and shook his hands and told him what a great thing he had done. It was when he squatted down and closed his eyes; when he was finally alone despite the crowd, that’s when he could accept his own feat.

“I did it,” he told himself. “I did it.”

It seemed only right that Manalapan senior Robby Andrews assured himself that the national record he recorded was reality, because his performance proved just short of unbelievable. Andrews won the junior boys 1,000 meters at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in 2:22.28, besting a time set by Alan Webb as a senior at South Lakes (Va.) of 2:23.68 in 2001. Andrews, who committed to the University of Virginia Thursday night, won the mile at the Millrose Games last week.

“This one is better,” he said. “It’s a national record. It’s an Alan Webb record.”

After two laps in the race, no one could have imagined what Andrews accomplished. He sat on Sadiki White’s shoulder until just before the 400-meter make when the two went through just under a pedestrian 60 seconds. Andrews had enough and took off. White followed. But with every step it seemed Andrews built momentum. He dropped a 26-second third lap, which effectively snatched the kick from White. Then he cranked up the speed more.

“I was dead the last two laps,” Andrews said. “I just gave it all I had.”

It certainly never looked like fatigue was an option. When the bell sounded Andrews miraculously switched gears yet again and cemented himself in history. He said between him and his father, they had reviewed every possible scenario for the race and the national record was always in sight. He still seemed shocked.

“This has been the greatest week of my life,” he said after the race.

And although the fanfare had subsided and the building began to empty, New Bern (N.C.) proved that they didn’t need much of an audience to prove themselves as one of the greatest scholastic relays ever assembled. Well, at least they are the fastest. Anthony Hendrix (47.6), Fuquawn Greene (48.7), Miles Sparks (49.0) and Andrew Hendrix (47.5) set their own national record by winning the junior boys 4×400 in 3:13.06, eclipsing Muir High’s 1996 record of 3:13.34.